Concerns grow over 'roads in Bhubaneswar turning into death traps' 

The death of a young doctor in an accident on Bomikhal road connecting Rasulgarh and Kalpana in Bhubaneswar revealed the pathetic condition of the stretch. People have started calling the road a real death trap. 

The road mentioned above is one of the busiest roads in the capital city. Every minute hundreds of vehicles pass through this stretch. Due to lack of maintenance, the road is now riddled with potholes and craters, making it unmotorable. After a light shower, it gives commuters nightmarish experiences. It is alleged that even though accidents are occurring on the road on a regular basis, the concerned authorities are paying no heed to the people’s sufferings.  

“While driving to his house, one of the wheels of his vehicle fell in a ditch on the road, resulting in his death,” said Prashant Kumar Sahu, brother of the deceased doctor.  

“In spite of accidents occurring on roads in the capital city, concerned officers are in deep slumber,” rued Arun Sahu, a Bhubaneswar resident. 

The Bomikhal road is not the single one in such a deplorable condition. Almost all the roads are reportedly in a pathetic state. The main road at Rasulgarh has a deep crater in the middle of it. Leaving it unrepaired for days together is resulting in accidents and traffic congestion. People commuting on Kalinga stadium-Nayapali and Mausi Maa temple-Lingaraj temple roads face the same hurdles. 

The question arising here is why the contractors are leaving the road construction work midway and why the administration has been a mute spectator? 

“Smart city is in name only. The condition of the roads here is more deplorable than the ones in rural areas. Here, accidents are occurring on a daily basis. While commuting, we are also facing many problems including traffic jams,” complained Prakash Mallick, a city dweller. 

Experts blame the lack of coordination between departments for such a pathetic situation. 

“Here, there is a lack of coordination between officers. There is no coordination between the smart city officials and the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials. Moreover, there is no coordination between the BMC and the GA department. The executive engineer of the PWD is solely responsible for the accident. A case should be registered against him,” said Subrat Nanda, a member of the Road Safety Committee.